The Jackets led by a goal with eight minutes remaining in the game, but mistakes on the defensive end and no power play goals were the difference. Columbus did score four even-strength goals after scoring only one goal in the last two games.

“We did the things we said we were going to do in individual meetings,” Agnew, the interim coach, said. “But, for whatever reason, which we haven’t had in a while, we had some (defensive) zone breakdowns. That’s what cost us the game.”

David Legwand scored two goals and an assist, while J.P. Dumont, Vernon Fiddler and Scott Nicol each scored a goal for the Predators, who have won seven of its last eight games.

Rick Nash scored two goals and assisted on another to lead the Jackets. Fredrik Modin had a goal and two assists, while Rostislav Klesla added a pair of assists. Jason Chimera also scored for Columbus, losers of three straight.

“I thought we had spurts tonight and probably one of the longest all season, where we played some good hockey,” Modin said. “(We) did the right things, getting the puck deep, holding on to it and getting chances off that.”

Dumont gave Nashville the early lead with a power play goal at 5:21 of the first. Dumont redirected a slap shot from Kimmo Timinen when he hit a wrist shot from near the top of the blue line.

Chimera scored his first goal of the season to tie the game at 16:06. He took a feed from Manny Malhotra, skated into the right face-off circle and hit a wrist shot that bounced off the crossbar and into the goal.

Columbus started the second period with a flurry of shots on Predator goaltender Thomas Vokoun. Seconds after Modin had a goal called back because of a quick whistle, Nash tapped in a rebound off a Klesla shot to put the Jackets up 2-1 at 1:26.

A Columbus turnover on the power play resulted in a Nashville shorthanded goal at 10:46. Steve Sullivan and Fiddler took the lose puck and had a two-on-one break. Fiddler reached around Leclaire and tapped the puck into the empty net to knot the game at two.

The Jackets had a Nash goal called off 1:45 into the third period because the referee inadvertently blew his whistle too fast. Vokoun made the save and the ref didn’t see that he dropped the puck because he was on the other side of the ice.

The Predators regained the lead 3:49 into the third. Paul Kariya carried the puck into the Jacket’s zone and centered the puck to Legwand, who tapped it over Leclaire’s extended stick.

Nash scored his second of the night to retie the game at 7:22. Nash took a pass from Klesla, carried the puck into the zone and hit a slap shot over the shoulder of Vokoun.

“Nash is a great player,” Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. “He’s big and young, with a wide reach and he’s hard to contain.”

Nash set up the go-ahead 2:10 minutes later. From behind the net, he took the puck to the goal line and put a shot towards the net. Modin redirected the puck in to put Columbus up 4-3.

Legwand and Nichol scored 31 seconds apart to put the Predators back on top, 5-4, with just under eight minutes remaining in the game. The game winner was scored after Aaron Johnson turned the puck over deep in the Jackets defensive zone.

“When you have a 4-3 lead with eight to go, you have to finish the game off and we didn’t do that tonight,” Agnew said. “It is disappointing to score four goals at home and not get the win.”
Columbus outshot Nashville 33-30. Leclaire stopped 25 shots, while Vokoun stopped 29.

The Jackets host Colorado Friday at 7 p.m.